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Wedding photos can get a bit dry on the old social feeds, but this particular one we’re very much here for – the marriage of two Labradoodles.

Two and a half year old Poppy and three year old Prince tied the knot in a beautiful rooftop ceremony in San Francisco last month, after meeting when their owners made friends online in summer 2016.

‘I got Poppy right before I left New York in November 2015,’ Poppy’s owner Samantha – who now lives in San Francisco – said.

‘I’ve always wanted a dog and kept seeing this gorgeous Labradoodle on my block. I asked the owners where they’d got her, and was put in touch with some wonderful, ethical breeders.’

After moving across coasts from New York to San Francisco, Samantha’s boyfriend Jon suggested she start an Instagram account for Poppy, to help her make some doggy playmates.

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‘It was never about followers or fans. I wanted to meet people, and there’s a great Doodle community in San Francisco,’ Samantha explains.

Samantha, Poppy, Prince and Jon

(Picture: PA Real Life/Collect)

Bride Poppy in her custom-made Rororiri gown

(Picture: PA Real Life/Collect)

It was via social media that she met Prince’s owner, Sara who, ironically, actually lives in Samantha’s old home of New York. The women bonded over their shared love of Doodles, and a long distance friendship was formed.

Sara received Prince as a gift from a former boss, and she set up his Instagram so co-workers could see what he was doing at the weekends, after he became the office dog.

When the dogs (and humans) finally met in real life in Napa, California in autumn 2016, the humans got on a treat – but the dogs? Not so much.

‘Poppy was so excited to meet Prince, but he just ran away. I think he was playing hard to get,’ Sara explains.

‘Luckily she wasn’t giving in. She chased him down as if to say, “No, you will be my friend”.

‘Now, he loves seeing her. His fur all fluffs up in excitement.’

But the dogs eventually saw the light and became firm fur friends, seeing each other every few months when their owners took it turns to fly them coast to coast.

Poppy and Prince with their cake

(Picture: PA Real Life/Collect)

The wedding guests

(Picture: PA Real Life/Collect)

In December last year, Prince and Sara surprised Poppy and Samantha with a proposal, using a ring she bought from a toy store, which Poppy now wears around her neck.

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‘The idea of a wedding came out of a dream that a lot of us in the Doodle community have’ explains Sara.

‘Both New York and San Francisco have big Doodle communities, and we’ve always wanted to organise a big bi-coastal meet up.

‘I thought a dog wedding would be a great way to get everybody together.’

The guests in their finest wedding attire

(Picture: PA Real Life/Collect)

Once they hard about the wedding, other businesses were keen to get their paws mucky.

The doggy wedding cake and party favours were cooked up by Carla of Paw Patch Pastries, San Francisco while Poppy’s bridal grown was custom made by another local business owner, designer Rita of Rororiri, who owns wedding guest, Rosie the Maltipoo.

All décor was provided by Paper Source, while guests were kitted out in their finest, bought from local shops or Etsy, or made by relatives.

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To ensure they looked far from ruff, Poppy and Prince both had their fur groomed to perfection – hers by Bernie’s City Grooming, San Francisco and his by Hair of the Dog Pet Spa, New York.

The 14 human guests tucked into cake from Susie’s Cake Bakery, and also sipped on delicious cocktails, which sounds like a dream.

‘It was amazing the way everyone helped. It was lovely to bring us all together,’ says Samantha.

‘The hotel had the event signposted so people knew where to go – but that actually led to a few wedding crashers which security had to speak to.

‘It was the most hilarious thing, having security called to a dog wedding. There’s a big glass window by the rooftop so lots of people who weren’t invited had their faces pressed against it, peering out at us.

Samantha’s friend Sarah Schwartz was the ceremony’s unofficial officiant, and instead of a first dance, the dogs dived straight into a three tier wedding cake made out of liver, bacon, peanut butter and fondant icing.

‘Everyone had such an amazing day,’ reveals Samantha. ‘The lovely thing was that it brought together human friends too and forged those connections.

‘People were impressed with what we pulled off. I think they were surprised a dog wedding was so tasteful.’

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‘The way we see it, you can’t put a price on happiness. We just wanted everyone to have a good time,’ says Sara.